Gene Steinberg said:
The release of that information, however, may at least prepare people more and more for some ultimate or gradual acceptance, however.
This is something that I wonder about and is somewhat related to the other thread I've recently posted (disinterest in UFO's). Here is one way to look at these documents:
They are filled with numerous reports of genuine delusion and wackiness. The Meier kind and worse. And they also contain many mundane, explainable sightings. So, ... a normal person, who doesn't look hard at the body of evidence , might think that UFO's represent wackos and misidentifications and conclude there really isn't anything to the "phenomenon". In other words ,the government looked into it, saw a lot of delusional people and some lights in the sky. There's your answer.
This scenario doesn't seem to gain any ground in acceptance. In contrast it may snuff it out altogether.
OR , another way to look at it:
Peruse and really search these documents for some intriguing and compelling cases that may do just what you are talking about Gene, providing a pathway for acceptance and interest of what these things are. However I can't imagine there are many of these cases and it may take some gems to gain real ground.
It really depends on how the story and cases are spun in the media. And I have a feeling the reporters are going to say a large portion, perhaps a very large part, are easily dismissed, thereby reducing real interest and acceptance.
I think we need to have more scenarios like the Washington conference. Concentrate on the compelling cases and highlight them. Perhaps this could be done with the releases of these documents. But we need to cut the fat and go to only the best available cases. Even with the best we still set ourselves up for failure by association of a bad case. One case that is proven something else (hoax, meteor,etc) is means for collapse of credibility. Only as strong as the weakest link and that is dangerous ground for serious ufology. Do you think?
